Campus Carry: First Facts
New Arkansas campus carry laws will go into effect Sept. 1, 2017. The Arkansas State Police has 120 days from that date to develop and implement new enhanced training for concealed carry permit holders that will be required to carry a handgun on a college campus. It is estimated, therefore, to be the early part of 2018 before procedures will be in place to allow for concealed carry on a campus.
When the procedures are fully in place, persons who can legally carry a concealed weapon on a campus must:
- Hold a valid Arkansas concealed weapon license, and
- Complete additional enhanced certification-training course of up to 8 hours and hold an endorsement for the training from the Arkansas State Police.
Concealed weapons will only be allowed to be carried on campus by a concealed carry permit holder with the enhanced training. For persons coming to campus without the enhanced training certification, guns can only be stored in locked, unattended motor vehicles.
The weapon(s) of a faculty, staff or student with the enhanced concealed carry permit cannot be stored in any university facilities, including classrooms, locker rooms, offices, or residence hall.
The new Arkansas campus carry laws state that:
- No concealed weapons will be allowed in UA Little Rock athletic events for which approved security plans are in place.
- No concealed weapons can be carried into grievance and disciplinary hearings.
Open carry of handguns will not be allowed on campus.
